Bandish Bandits Actress Shreya Chaudhry On Casting Couch: ‘It Exists’

Actress Shreya Chaudhry is gearing up for the much-anticipated second season of Bandish Bandits, set to premiere on December 13, 2024, on Amazon Prime Video. Directed by Amritpal Singh Bindra and Anand Tiwari, the first season of the musical drama, released in August 2020, was widely praised by audiences and critics alike.

As part of the promotions for the upcoming season, Shreya spoke candidly about the challenges faced by women in the entertainment industry. Addressing the issue of casting couch in Bollywood, she acknowledged its existence, stating that recognizing the problem is the first step toward addressing it.

“Which industry isn’t more difficult for women? Every industry in the world is,” Shreya told India.com. “There are enough examples in front of us to believe that. Unfortunately, [casting couch] does exist, and accepting that is step number one. I am fortunate to work with people who don’t make you feel that you need to be treated differently because you are a woman. Starting with Anand and Amrit [the creators of Bandish Bandits], and Ritwik [Bhowmik, her co-actor], who is very respectful and never makes me feel like ‘tu heroine hai toh, main hero hun.’”

Shreya, relatively new to the industry, expressed gratitude for having worked with respectful and supportive colleagues. However, she acknowledged that the issue of casting couch persists. “I have just started off. So, I would definitely want to comment on this in the future. As of now, I have been lucky to work with great people. I will not deny that it exists. It is there,” she said.

The actress emphasized that tackling such issues requires collective effort from industry professionals and audiences alike. “It is upon us — the industry and audience members — because Bollywood, at the end of the day, is commerce. It’s in everybody’s hands to do something about it and not just talk about it,” she added.

Bandish Bandits also stars Ritwik Bhowmik in the lead role. The second season introduces Divya Dutta as a teacher, while Sheeba Chaddha, Atul Kulkarni, Rajesh Tailang, and Kunaal Roy Kapur reprise their roles. Fans eagerly await the continuation of this musical saga, which blends classical and contemporary storytelling.